McCarty Junior
by micbb
Summary: During a battle with an army of newborn vampires, Edward is saved by a newcomer with a silent mind and bright red eyes. He finds himself fascinated by the kind vampire and asks her to stay, but can Isabella adapt to the Cullens' lifestyle? And who is she to Emmett?
1. Chapter 1

_They'll fight like children_.

That's what Jasper had said. There were two rules.

One. Don't let them get their arms around you. A newborn's strength is nothing to mess around with.

Two. Don't go for the obvious kill. That's all their prepared for.

The newborn army, created by a vampire named Victoria, was moving. Alice had been watching as best she could, trying to follow snap decisions and barely-there plans.

Victoria was probably doing that on purpose. Her coven had once included her mate, James, and another vampire, Laurent. James, incidentally, had hunted Alice as a human, but had ceased his hunt when she'd been changed by another vampire, bitter at the loss. _No one_ escaped him. He'd flown into a rage when they'd come across her a few months ago, and his death had been delivered swiftly by Jasper, who was every bit as intimidating and skilled as his hundreds of battles scars suggested. Victoria, it seemed, still held a bitter grudge, and had abandoned Laurent.

Laurent had spent some time with the Denali Coven up north and had gotten an irritatingly good understanding of Alice's unique talent. Chances were that before his death, Laurent had explained her gift to Victoria, not truly understanding how bitter she remained about the loss of her mate.

We weren't sure why he'd been so far south – especially if he'd been spending time up in Denali, but he made a fatal mistake: he went through the Quileute reservation.

He couldn't have known – not even the Denalis knew – that the vampire-hunters lurked on the reservation, deeming themselves the protectors of the people of Forks and the surrounding area from vampires. His death must have been brutal, but we couldn't fault the wolves, who'd seen the burgundy-eyed vampire on their land. They were doing what they were made to do.

At the time, I couldn't have imagined a situation where we would have allied ourselves with the wolves.

But as the army mobilized, coming toward us with the intention of killing all of us and taking our territory – and the humans with it – the wolves had seized the opportunity. Some twenty newborns could not be allowed to rampage their way through Washington.

At least, that's what we'd thought.

With ten wolves and seven vampires, we'd thought ourselves prepared to deal with the twenty newborns. And we could have. If there'd been twenty.

Five more should not have had too much of an affect, but it was clear that these five were older, better trained. More in control of themselves and therefore stronger fighters.

The wolves howled angrily into the night as they fought the red-eyed vampires. At least in that respect, we knew we'd caught them by surprise. They'd had no idea the giant beasts would be waiting for them.

But we were beginning to crack under the extra weight of the trained fighters. Through the thoughts of my family I could see Jasper trying to do too much, desperate to protect Alice, though she was more than capable of looking after herself. But having his mate in the midst of the fighting seemed to have severally impeded Jasper's ability to think clearly. We were outnumbered and beginning to lose.

I winced when a one of the pack's shoulder was shattered, feeling it as though it were my own, and the brief second of distraction was enough for a newborn to get its arms around me, its spur-of-the-moment decision preventing me from seeing it his mind on time.

But it seemed the second the tight arms were in place, they were ripped away, and I staggered with the sudden force. The dismembered arms lay in front of me, the body hopefully being ripped to shreds. I had no time to ponder on my rescuer, throwing myself into the battle with more determination than before.

Howls continued to sound in my ears, ringing out over the screeches of the newborns as they were torn apart by my family, and the tides seemed to turn as a new presence joined the fight. The newcomer was the extra push we needed, and one by one, limb by limb, the newborn army was destroyed. As soon as I was certain no hidden newborn vampires were near me, I turned to face our recent ally.

She was of average height, and had long, chestnut coloured hair that reached her mid-back. Her skin was the usual pale, diamond-solid texture as mine, mostly covered by a utilitarian wardrobe – dark blue jeans, what must have been a simple back t-shirt, and a black leather jacket.

Her eyes shone bright red.

On instinct, my lips pulled into a threatening snarl and I dropped into a crouch, ready to attack if this was a ploy.

She held her hands up in the universal gesture for _I surrender_ , stepping away from me to create space between the two of us. "I'm on your side," she told me in her pleasant alto, her pronunciation slow and deliberate. I searched her mind for deception or trickery, not wanting to be lulled into a false sense of security.

 _Nothing_.

My eyes widened in surprise. I'd never met anyone – human or vampire alike – who could resist my gift.

I tried again, to no avail. It was like there was no one there, except she clearly was – I could hear her breathing, see her, smell her. She was certainly there.

"Edward?" Alice's voice cut through my thoughts, bringing me back to the presence. I raised my eyebrows at the newcomer, who didn't seem hostile now that we were no longer being attacked, and she nodded.

The two of us made quick work of gathering up each piece of torn-vampire to throw it on the flame that had already been set in a clearing only a few feet away, making sure not to leave a single piece behind as we did so.

My family's eyes widened when the newcomer stepped into the clearing with me, her fair share of newborn in her arms. Rosalie hissed and Emmett and Jasper dropped into crouches, ready to attack, but I shook my head at them.

 _Edward, is this one of the newborns_? Jasper asked in my mind, stress emanating from him. I shook my head slightly. _You're sure?_ I nodded. He relaxed slightly, but I could see distrust on his features, and he was careful to stand between the newcomer and Alice, who was watching her with wide, curious eyes.

Once we were certain nothing was left of the newborns, the foul-smelling smoke rising into the air, I turned to her, waiting for an explanation. The wolves had gone, presumably to get away before the Volturi saw them.

Her grin was somewhat feral, and probably would have frightened a human, but to me it looked like amusement – as though she'd enjoyed taking part in the fight. "My name is –"

" _Isabella_ ," Emmett's choked voice sounded from behind, and I whirled to look at him in shock. He was staring at the newcomer with wide, disbelieving eyes, his mind repeatedly stuck on _how is she here_?

Rosalie tensed next to him, disliking this unusual behaviour from her mate, and she glowered at the newcomer.

I turned to look back at the chestnut-haired vampire, who was looking at Emmett with eyes, mouth hanging in a small _'O'_ shape. I could still hear nothing from her mind. " _Emmett?"_ her voice was barely above a whisper as she regarded him. She moved forward in slow steps, completely ignoring Rose's warning hiss, until she was only a few feet away.

Emmett closed the distance, and when he was close enough his hand outstretched and he carefully ran his fingers along the side of her face. _She's alive, she's alive, she's alive…_ an instant later, he was wrapping her in a tight hug, and her arms returned the embrace, holding him in what looked like a vice-like grip. It was slightly comical, if I was being honest. At 6'5", Emmett was at least a foot taller, and had to bend awkwardly to hold the smaller female. _She's alive, she's alive, she's alive_ …

 _Edward, what's going on?_ That was Carlisle's calm voice, and I shook my head slightly, unsure what to tell him.

Rosalie's loud growl seemed to snap the two back to reality, and Emmett stepped away from the newcomer, who seemed reluctant to let go of him completely and kept a hold of his hand. I heard Rose's teeth grind together.

"Who are you?" Alice asked the question on everyone's mind, peeking around Jasper like a curious child.

The newcomer blinked several times before looking at her, and then each other member of the family, lingering on me for a moment before returning her gaze to Emmett. She took a deep breath before speaking, and again I was struck by the pleasantness of her smooth, alto voice. "My name is Isabella McCarty," she said, her voice just above a whisper. "I'm Emmett's little sister."

Shock rang out from each family member's mind, their eyes on the two. Was it possible? I wracked my mind for any information on Emmett's sister – anything he might have said – but came up short.

Again, it was Alice who spoke first. "Can we get back to this later? One minute until the Volturi get here."

And just like that, we snapped to attention, our eyes straining to make out the inevitable dark shapes of the guard.

The rose out of the mist like ghosts, moving slowly and soundlessly against the charred grassed.

"Hmm," a bored, dead voice sounded from the figure in the front, the smallest by at least two feet. A hood was pushed back to reveal Jane's angelic face, her features empty and her eyes blazing red. She carefully took in the pyre and the eight of us standing around it. "I don't understand." She said in her usual dead tone.

"They were sent to destroy us," I spoke up, my chin held high.

Jane's gaze snapped to mine. "Why?"

"Their creator was angry. She wanted revenge on Jasper for killing her mate." I explained simply, not wanting to draw this meeting out.

Jane's eyes flicked lazily over to Jasper. "And where is the creator now?"

He gestured to the pyre, his posture remaining stiff.

"Hmm," Jane said again. "How many were there?"

"Our original guess was twenty. It was actually twenty-five." I told her, seeing her eyes widen slightly and her back stiffen. "They were inexperienced." I said quickly. "New. Stupid."

"I see." Jane said, and I could hear her mulling the information over in her mind, preparing what she would say to Aro. Regardless of what she said, she was impressed – twenty-five newborns versus eight mature vampires should not have been in our favour. "You seem to have done out job for us today." She nodded to Carlisle, her eyes blank again. "Carlisle, Aro hoped we would get far enough west to see you. He sends his regards."

"As you'll send mine to his, I hope," Carlisle said, the picture of ease save for the turmoil in his mind.

Jane's lips pressed together as she looked us over, and I heard her wonder if she should punish us for doing their duty, for fighting…we'd shown we were stronger than the Volturi thought, and perhaps she should leave us with a warning…

I winced in anticipation when she turned her fiery gaze on Rosalie, who was glaring at her in distance. A smile grew on Jane's face and she hurled her power at my sister, eager to watch her writhe and burn, to leave an impression on us, to remind us that we weren't as strong as them…

Nothing happened.

Jane's eyes widened slightly and she tried again, more force behind the throw.

Nothing.

I didn't understand. I'd never seen anyone resist Jane's fire before – why was it not working? Rosalie didn't even seem aware of Jane's mental attack.

Jane's gaze turned to the newcomer and the childish-like smile she wore when she caused pain twisted, becoming bitter and angry. _I should have known she'd be involved!_ "Aro will be very interested to hear you were involved, Isabella." She said warningly, her thoughts centered on the red-eyed vampire who stood at my side, her head held high. I heard her distaste for Isabella and wondered what she'd done to Jane to make the member of the guard hate her so, and heard her excitement at the prospect of telling Aro that she'd been found. My family's thoughts all returned to the strange newcomer as well, wondering about her relationship with Jane.

Isabella's answering smile was tight. "I do tend to find trouble wherever I go. Or rather, trouble finds me." She answered tensely, her eyes not wavering from Jane's angelic face and her features hard, as though she were daring Jane to try something.

"Indeed," Jane said, her eyes sweeping over the scene again before she turned to the guard and nodded. "Come," she said simply, and they disappeared, returning to Italy to report their finds, presumably.

Once they were gone, I flew to Rosalie's side. "Are you alright?" I asked her with wide eyes, searching her mind for any knowledge of the attack she'd somehow not felt.

She shot me an annoyed look. "Of course I'm alright." She replied drily. _What's the matter with him? Why wouldn't I be able to handle Jane? Just because I'm not gifted like him, that doesn't mean I'm weak!_

"Jane, she has this…ability. She creates the illusion of pain in a mind, crippling the target. She tried to hurt you with it, but you didn't feel it…" I didn't understand. I heard Emmett's internal rage that Jane had so blatantly chosen to attack his mate for no reason, felt his desire to chase after her and rip her to shreds, and I shot him a warning glare. "You don't have a chance, Emmett," I told him warningly. "Not with seven members of the guard at her back and her ability to make you feel like you're burning up from the inside out."

"Well, obviously, her _ability_ isn't working too well right now," Emmett snarled angrily.

"You can't know that," Carlisle interrupted before things got too heated. "We can't know what was stopping Jane from harming Rosalie, or if it extends to anyone else. No one is risking their lives today, son." _I won't have another fight, not after the ordeal we just went through…_

"No one is going to fight, Carlisle," I reassured my father, grateful for his compassionate and reasonable nature. Carlisle would not allow to go into a fight unprepared, especially one as stupid as attacking the vampire Aro probably valued most among his guard.

"Hi, yeah, sorry," the newcomer drew our attention back to her, fluttering her fingers in a tentative wave. "That was me."

Everyone's thoughts were on her once again. What did she mean _that was me_?

She seemed uncomfortably under our unwavering gazes, and unconsciously, her body turned toward Emmett, whose body seemed to orient itself towards her protectively.

"I'm a shield. A mental shield. That's what Aro called me, anyway," she formed a fist and knocked twice on her temple. "No one gets in here."

Carlisle frowned, stepping forward to examine her. I hear his curiosity, his instinct to learn, to understand, echoing in his mind. Isabella noticed his advance, however, and she shot a wide-eyed look at Emmett, stepping towards him again.

Carlisle held his hands out, much like she had earlier in the forest, and took another step forward. "I'm not going to hurt you, Isabella," he told her honestly, his voice calm and soothing. I felt the waves of reassurance Jasper was sending her way, and watched her shoulders relax slightly. Interesting. So Jasper could affect her where neither Jane nor I could. "My name is Carlisle Cullen, and this is my family." He gestured to us before turning his golden gaze back to her. "We're not going to hurt you." He promised.

Isabella frowned, her eyebrows pinching together, and then suddenly realization dawned on her face and she looked between Emmett and Carlisle with something like awe on her face. "Carlisle _Cullen_?" She repeated.

 _If she's enough time in Italy to have her ability classified, she's probably heard of me_ , Carlisle reasoned.

"Carlisle Cullen. The vegetarian?" She asked, curiosity lighting up her features and making her look terribly young. She turned her red gaze on Emmett. "You're part of Carlisle Cullen's coven?" She asked in disbelief, though through Jasper I could sense her excitement at having found her brother in the care of a vampire like Carlisle.

Emmett smiled fondly at her. "Family, Bella, not coven," he corrected.

"Family," she breathed, looking at each of us with wide, curious burgundy eyes. It was strangely endearing. "Fascinating. I thought Aro was exaggerating, but…wow." After a few moments of taking each of in, she turned back to Emmett. "How are you _alive_? They never found your body, but all that blood…" she trailed off, shaking her head, and I could see sadness etched on her beautiful features.

Emmett's smile disappeared. "It was a bear, Bells," he said quietly before smiling somewhat sadly. The expression looked foreign, wrong, on his usually cheerful expression. "All those times you warned me. Turns out you were right."

"You warned him?" Carlisle interjected, his curiosity getting the best of him. "Like precognition?"

Isabella looked somewhat bewildered. "No, I just wanted him to be careful," she said in a small voice. "He always went out on his own. I just didn't want to lose him because of a stupid mistake." She swallowed thickly before turning her gaze back to her brother. "A bear?"

Esme stepped forward then, carefully placing her hand on Carlisle's shoulder. "Perhaps we could have this discussion at home?" She asked lightly.

"Home?" Isabella jumped in, her gaze still wide and curious.

Carlisle smiled and nodded. "We have a permanent residence nearby." He explained simply. "Would you like to come by so we can discuss the current situation?"

Isabella blinked and hey eyebrows pinched again. "Alright." She said hesitantly.

Carlisle nodded to Emmett, who raised his eyebrows to Isabella, a challenge lighting up his expression.

Isabella's face morphed from the childish curiosity we'd been seeing into a look of feral mischief, and for the first time I truly saw the remarkable similarities between the two. Emmett took off at a run, his footfalls heavy and aggressive, and Isabella was off a millisecond after him, her steps light and quick as she darted next to him. She picked up speed easily.

The rest of the family took off after them, me taking the natural lead, since I was the fastest. I saw incredulity in her eyes as I passed by her, and I flashed her a challenging grin.

Her answering smile seemed to light up the entire forest, and she sped ahead of Emmett, chasing after me with with a speed none of my family could keep up with.

She seemed to be amusing herself, darting in and out of wooded areas, occasionally twirling and laughing as she moved with ease and grace. She was absolutely dazzling as she ran, perhaps more suited to this life than anyone I'd ever seen. She seemed to delight in small things like cartwheels and twirls, and her grin only widened when she heard me laugh along with her.

She didn't beat me, but it was a near thing, and when we finally came to a stop in front of our home, she was looking at me with windblown hair, and exuberant smile on her lips, and her eyes alight with mischief and joy. I imagined my expression mirrored hers, save for the bright red irises.

 **Kindly remember to review, and let me know what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow! I'm blown away by the amount of follows and favourites just from the first chapter. Here's the second, loves. I know it's not very exciting, but we've gotta power through the background stuff before we get too far into the cutesie stuff and the dramatics. (Don't worry - there's cutesie stuff in this chapter)**

"How do you all manage to live together?" Isabella asked curiously as I led her into the house, hearing the vehicles of my family speed down the road.

I led her to the sitting room and she sat lightly, tucking herself into the corner of one of the plush couches as though sitting were more comfortable than standing. I sat in the adjacent armchair. "We don't drink the human blood," I explained simply, "so we tend to be more…stable, I guess you could say. There's less competition in the instinct, so we form a loyal family rather than a coven."

"Why, though?" Isabella asked as I carefully watched her face.

Rather than the disgust I usually saw in vampires who learned of our diets, there was only curiosity written across her features. I shrugged. "We didn't ask to be changed. We put more value on human life because of that. And, of course, because of Carlisle's leadership."

"He prevented you from drinking human blood?" Isabella asked, her brow furrowing in her confusion. As she said the words, the rest of the family ambled into the house, making their way over to sit with us.

"No," I answered Isabella's question honestly. "He guided us, taught us how he lived, but he never forced his lifestyle on us."

Her curious gaze turned to Carlisle. "And you, Carlisle? You're the first of this group to live this way. Why deny yourself human blood? It couldn't have been easy."

Carlisle's lips twitched into a one sided smile. _She's direct, this one_ , he thought to me, amused. I hid my smile. "Yes, it was quite difficult." He said quietly. "Edward believes it was my compassion that allowed me to ignore my urges. When I learned what I had become, I refused to allow myself to kill a human. In the end, I became so thirsty that I could not help myself when a herd of deer passed me. It was then that I understood that though I was damned to this existence, I could live without killing anyone."

"And you're a _doctor_ now, for the humans," Isabella breathed, awe shinning in her burgundy eyes. "That's remarkable."

Carlisle chuckled. "Thank you for that assessment."

Isabella turned her bright gaze to Emmett, who had sat down next to her, and through Jasper I could feel her love and relief at having found her lost brother, and the affection she still held for him. "And you, Emmett? You said a bear attacked you?" I saw the corners of her lips twitch downward briefly, showing her displeasure at the thought of her brother being attacked.

Emmett nodded, his expression uncharacteristically grim. "The thing tore me to shreds," he told her, and I saw her wince at the imagery, "but before I died, Rosalie found me. She picked me up and brought me to Carlisle, hundreds of miles away." He chuckled. "I swore she was an angel, and when I saw Carlisle, I was convinced she'd brought me to God."

Isabella's eyes flicked between Emmett and Rosalie for a moment before she frowned. "Why didn't you change him?" She asked Rosalie, honest curiosity in her tone.

Rosalie shuffled slightly under the red gaze. "I wasn't sure I was strong enough not to kill him," she answered, looking at Emmett and smiling as love and happiness radiated from her. "But I knew he was for me. So I begged Carlisle to do it."

"But…he must have been bleeding something fierce," Isabella muttered, her eyes widening when she realized the pain Rosalie must have been in to bring Emmett to Carlisle. Rosalie, being her typical self, preened under the admiration. "And you're his mate, now, obviously." There was no question in Isabella's amused tone – she could see the way Emmett and Rosalie felt about each other as clearly as the rest of us (except, obviously, myself, but I had an unfair advantage – or _disadvantage_ , as I sometimes saw it). Emmett and Rosalie exchanged loving smiles, and Isabella through her arms around her brother, hugging him rightly. "I never imaged I'd find you alive, but to find you alive and _happy_ ," I was certain there would have been tears in her eyes had she been human as she gazed up at Emmett. "I'm so pleased for you, brother."

I could hear Jasper's surprise at her honesty. There didn't seem to be a bitter or jealous bone in this young nomad's body.

Emmett grinned and returned her embrace, and again I could feel the love and happiness radiating from him. Jasper may as well have been walking on clouds with all the happiness in the room. "I can't believe we found you," Emmett laugh as he kept one arm over Isabella's shoulders, seemingly refusing to let her go. "I can't believe you're still _alive_!"

Isabella grinned, and mischief sparkled in her burgundy eyes. The similar between the siblings was remarkable when she did that. "I don't know if _alive_ is quite the right word _._ " She teased, poking Emmett in the side. He howled dramatically and lunged at her, but she was faster and darted away from him. She moved behind my chair and crouched there, her head poking out from around the side at my shoulder level. She saw me watching her, amusement on my face, and winked at me, mischief written all over her face.

"Move to the right," I murmured to her, hearing Emmett's plan to catch her from the left side in his mind.

She did as I suggested, flitting out of his grasp with a tinkling laugh that had the rest of us smiling. There was something childish about her – an innocence in the fact that she seemed to take such joy from the smallest things. It was completely different from the dangerous vampire I had seen in the battle today, and strangely endearing. I found myself attracted to it.

"Cheater!" Emmett called loudly, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Children," Carlisle said reproachfully, a father scolding his unruly children, though there was no anger in his tone. Isabella and Emmett grinned at each other before sitting back down in their respective places. _The resemblance between them is uncanny_ , he mused, entertained by their antics. I couldn't help but agree with him.

"So, Bella," Emmett began, looking at her curiously. "How did you get here?"

"Bella?" I interrupted before she could answer.

She smiled ruefully. "It's what I've always preferred to be called." She told me before turning her gaze back to Emmett. "I can't remember what I was doing," she began, frowning as she struggled to recall her human memories, "but I was out, alone, and I got hurt. I was dying, I think," I heard and felt Emmett's sudden and explosive rage, and felt Jasper sooth him as best he could. "Two vampires found me – Charles and Makenna. They were kind. They must have fed recently, because I remember being astounded at the bright red of their eyes, and they didn't attack me on sight, even though I was bleeding. I begged for their help, and I think Charles became curious. He has this…" she struggled with her words, "sense, I suppose. He knows when people are lying. Anyway, he couldn't sense anything from me. I think that's why they decided to change me rather than kill me."

"You were shielding, even as a human?" Carlisle cut in, his eyes alight with curiosity. _She must be an incredibly strong shield if she could already fend off mental intrusions as a human_.

Bella nodded. "I've always been a little different," she knocked twice on her temple again, a small smile on her lips.

"You don't have to tell me," Emmett quipped, and Bella elbowed him in the ribs. He feigned hurt, and she rolled her eyes and shook her head at his childish behaviour.

"Anyway, they were very kind about it. They apologized for the pain and for the life I would be leaving behind, but I was dying anyway." She swallowed. "I stayed with Charles and Makenna for several years. They helped me develop my ability, but eventually I went off on my own. I suppose they must have gone to Volterra at some point and touched hands with Aro, because he sent Demetri after me." She grinned, and there was a spark of humor in her eyes. "That didn't work. Demetri is talented, but he gets a sense of someone's mind, and my mind was protected. By chance, I came across a vampire named Garrett. He is a funny man." She chuckled.

"I know Garrett," Carlisle smiled. "He is, as you say, quite unique."

Bella smiled before continuing. "Demetri had run into Garrett and Garrett passed on the message that he was looking for me. Makenna and Charles didn't tell me much about the Volturi, but the way Garrett spoke about them, I figured they'd find me some way or another. So I went to Volterra of my own volition and I met with Aro. He was quite…" she paused again before shaking her head, "taken with me. He'd never met a shield as strong as me, he said, and he'd very much like to have me as part of the guard. I was curious, so I stayed for a few years, but I tired quickly and left. Aro didn't like that, but Chelsea couldn't make me feel bound to the guard, and Aro couldn't force me to stay. Aro likes to remind that there's always a place for me," she rolled her eyes. "He likes to keeps tabs on me."

"Why doesn't Jane like you?" Esme asked, her caring nature coming through as she worried about Bella, whom she barely knew.

Bella chuckled. "Jane is…competitive…for Aro's affections. She is his prized possession and she _knows_ it, loves it, even. She doesn't like that I can withstand her gift. Not to mention protect others from it, which you saw earlier."

"About that," I leaned forward, bracing my elbows on my thighs, and Bella turned to look at me, "how did you do it?"

She shrugged. "How do you read minds? I was born with it."

"How did you know I read minds?" I pressed.

She smiled at me. "I spent a few years in Volterra," she reminded me. "Aro is very interested in…acquiring you." She shrugged again.

"But you were shielding Rosalie, too," Carlisle interrupted, frowning. "So you can extend your shield beyond yourself?"

She nodded. "Yeah. That was one of the things I practiced with Makenna and Charles. I trained more with the guard as well. I can't extend it very far. Maybe one hundred feet? I don't know."

"Where you shielding all of us?" Carlisle continued to wonder.

She shook her head. "I could have. I wanted to, actually, but I figured that Edward would want to hear what was going on in the guard's mind, and that he might not handle it well if I shielded everyone but him and he suddenly couldn't hear his family anymore," she grinned at me, and I smiled in response.

"How did you know to shield Rose?" Emmett asked, his curious nature and protectiveness for his mate getting the better of him.

Her answering laugh was dry. "I lived with Jane for a few years. I know what she looks like when she's about to attack someone. She has to keep eyes on her victim. The second she locked onto Rosalie I threw my shield up around her."

Carlisle looked impressed. "Thank you for defending us. You didn't even know us."

She shrugged again, as though it were the simplest thing in the world. "Seven vampires and a pack of sticking dogs fighting together against a bunch of newborns and then Jane? I figured you could use all the help you could get." She smiled at me again, winking. She seemed to enjoy teasing me.

"So your shield," I continued to press, smiling at her because I couldn't _not_ , "if you shield someone else, I wouldn't be able to hear them?"

"Right," she nodded. "Unless I was shielding you, too. It's not multiple individual shields – it's more like a giant bubble, and I can mold it, shape it, to fit my needs."

"Could I hear you if you were shielding me?" I asked eagerly.

She laughed. "No."

I found myself disappointed. I'd never wanted into anyone's mind so badly, but then, I'd never encountered anything like this before. "How flexible is it?"

She frowned at me. "How do you mean?"

I looked around at my family and saw Carlisle and Esme sitting together on the loveseat, his arm over her shoulders and her leaning against him. "Can you shield just Carlisle if they're close like that? Or just Esme?"

"Yes."

I grinned. "Prove it."

She arched an eyebrow at my challenge, and it seemed like no significant effort to her when Carlisle's thoughts suddenly quieted in my mind, completely gone. I lifted my eyebrows in surprise. I honestly hadn't been certain she could do it, but she seemed unbothered. Apparently egged on by my apparent surprise, she grinned wickedly, and suddenly Jasper's thoughts were gone from my mind as well. I laughed when Rosalie's thoughts disappeared. "I get it," I chuckled, and she winked.

"What is she doing?" Carlisle asked, apparently fascinated, though I still couldn't hear his thoughts.

"She's shielding you, Jasper, and Rosalie," I laughed. My family looked impressed – Bella had chosen one of each of the intertwined pairs, displaying her shield's flexibility to me quite clearly.

"Don't lift the shield, Bella," Jasper instructed, "I want to try something." A moment later, I felt the familiar soothing, comforting waves from Jasper. "Can you feel that?"

"Yes," I confirmed.

"Fascinating," Carlisle breathed.

Bella looked confused. "What's happening?" She asked me.

"Jasper can manipulate emotions. I can't hear his thoughts while you shield him, but apparently you can't protect against ability." I explained.

Bella's eyes widened and she eagerly turned to Jasper, who was watching her cautiously. I still couldn't hear his thoughts, but I knew that he was probably worried that she would take his ability to bypass her shield as a threat.

Bella, it seemed, continued to defy all expectations. "Can you do it to me?" She asked Jasper, eyes alight with curiosity. I felt the amusement he sent to her, and laughter bubbled in my throat from the proximity to the emotion.

Bella didn't fight it, laughing her chiming laugh that made her seem like a child again. "That's brilliant," she said cheerfully, apparently unperturbed by the turn of events.

"I'm guessing that it's because Jasper is physically changing how we feel – exciting and calming our bodies appropriately – while Bella can only protect the mind and thoughts." Carlisle mused aloud.

"Probably," Bella agreed easily, and I wondered if she was still riding Jasper's high or if she was just being her usual cheerful self. The shield retracts and I'm bombarded once more with the thoughts of my family.

With no more pressing questions, my family drifted away from the sitting area, each heading to do their own thing. Rosalie went immediately to the garage to tune her M3, even though the car ran so perfectly it was essentially better than new. Emmett stuck around, flicking on the television to watch football. Alice went to her closet, Jasper trailing behind her, presumably to do some reading. Carlisle drifted to his study, and Esme grabbed a magazine, flicking through the pages slowly. It was all very…human.

That left Bella and me. I felt her eyes on me even if I wasn't looking at her so I returned her gaze, raising my eyebrows in amusement when she immediately looked away, seemingly embarrassed. Her eyes fell on my piano, and she looked up at me with her wide, earnest gaze. "Who plays?" She asked.

"I do."

Her face split into a grin and bit her lip, trying to reign herself in. Her eyes flicked between me and the instrument. "Will you play?" She begged, her earnest burgundy gaze meeting my topaz one. I smiled at her – she was endearing – and offered my hand.

All effort to hide her grin was gone and she offered me a beautiful smile that lit up the room. Her small hand fit in mine and I led her to the piano, sitting her down beside me. I played Esme's song for her, hearing my mother sigh contentedly from her seat. Bella watched with a soft smile on her lips and awe in her gaze as my fingers gracefully played the keys.

"I've never heard this," she whispered, looking up at me and then back down to my hands. "What's it called?"

"I doesn't have a name," I told her without stopping. "I wrote it for Esme."

"You _wrote_ this?" She gasped.

I chuckled and nodded. I may not be able to read her mind, but her emotions seemed completely unguarded. It was refreshing in a strange sort of way.

"Incredible," she breathed, leaning her head against my shoulder. My muscles jerked slightly at the contact, but she didn't seem to notice, her eyes trained on my fingers as they continued to play.

 **Kindly remember to leave a review! Cheers.**


	3. Chapter 3

"We have to go to school in the morning," I informed Bella, who was still leaning her head on my shoulder and watching my fingers play the ivory keys of my piano.

That drew her up short. She lifted her head and I immediately missed the contact. Instead, she turned to look at me with her bright, curious gaze, and I was struck by her earnest desire to learn and understand. "School? Why?" She asked.

I shrugged, though I didn't stop playing. "It's how we maintain the charade. We move somewhere and register for school, and then live out a few years that way before moving on to the next place." I explained.

She pursed her lips, and my eyes darted down, lingering on the pink flesh for a second too long. "That must be boring," she said drily, a wry grin forming on her face as she looked at me.

"You have no idea," I laughed. "Not to mention that I get to hear the thoughts of every student on the campus. Do you know how annoying the thoughts of a high schooler are?"

She laughed with me. "No," she responded. "But then, you have the advantage." She nudged my bicep with her shoulder. "What's it like, to hear the thoughts of everyone around you?"

"Not everyone," I smiled down at her, and her answering grin was mischievous. "It's…interesting. It can be helpful for my family – if someone guesses what we are, or gets too close, it gives us warning and we can leave. It can also be invasive. I hear everything, whether I want to or not. Not everything is meant to be heard."

She hummed in understanding before speaking again. "There's no way to silence their thoughts? Or to close off your mind?"

I shook my head. "Not that I've found. Although my family have become very adept at hiding thoughts that I shouldn't hear by thinking very hard about something else. Translation is a favourite. I believe Alice once translated _The Odyssey_ into Arabic. When she was finished she did it backwards."

She laughed, and I smiled at the sound. When she threw her head back my nose was assaulted by her scent – a wonderful bouquet of freesia and lavender that was delightfully sweet and warm. I idly thought that she must have smelled nearly intoxicating as a human, and was terribly glad I wasn't the one who'd had to change her. Makenna and Charles must have been incredibly strong to resist such a scent.

"I can imagine that would keep one's mind occupied," Bella giggled.

From upstairs, I could feel Jasper basking in the happiness that surrounded the house. While we were generally a happy group, the happiness was dulled by my…loneliness. The rest of my family were paired off with their mates, while I was alone and had been for more than a century, now. But Bella's soothing presence was like a balm to my non-existent soul, wiping away any trace of the loneliness that had plagued my being and the back of my mind since the beginning of my existence.

I tried not to think too hard about what that meant for me. I didn't want Bella to leave – I wanted to spent every minute of every day with her, getting to know her, touching her, making her laugh…

But Bella was a nomad. And, if she'd willingly left her coven and not joined one since, probably quite happy living a solitary life, wandering wherever she pleased. The chances of her wanting to stay with us – with _me_ – seemed astronomical. Especially with a group so large – four was perhaps the norm for covens. Five was many, but seven was nearly unheard of, save for the Volturi, who didn't really play by anyone's rules or norms anyway.

I couldn't help but hope, regardless.

Even if, by some miracle, she _did_ stay, it would be for Emmett, wouldn't it? She'd stay to spend time with the brother she'd lost, not for the lonely mind-reader, the sole unmated vampire in my unnaturally large family.

Then she said something completely unexpected (which, of course, was something only she could ever manage to do).

"I could help."

Her voice was quiet and tentative, and when I looked down at her in surprise, I found myself drowning in her earnest and unnaturally shy burgundy gaze. Her teeth tugged unconsciously on her lower lip, a clear sign of her nervousness, which I could pick up from Jasper anyway, who, at this point, was very curious as to what was happening between the two of us.

"Help?" I pressed, not wanting to read too much into her offer but knowing that if I were human, in this instant, my heart would be pounding loudly from under my rib cage.

Her tongue darted out to lick her lips before she pressed them together, swallowing. "With…the privacy. Making it so that you don't hear your family's thoughts all the time."

I stopped breathing and my fingers stopped playing. My family, bless them, went about their business, but the tension in the house was terribly thick as everyone waited for an answer.

"You would…stay?" I whispered, looking at her with wide eyes.

I got the sense that were she human, she would have been blushing. "I…" she paused and looked around the house unsurely. I realized that whatever she wanted to say, she wanted to say it to me, not to them, and hope began coursing its way through my system.

I stood from the bench and walked to the other side, so that I was standing right next to her. Tentatively, I offered her my hand. "Would you like to go for a walk, Bella?" I suggested.

I could see the relief on her face as she took my hand, intertwining our fingers. She gracefully stood from the piano and allowed me to lead her out of the house at a relatively human pace, our hands swinging freely between us. Once outside, I fixed her with a challenging expression and watch the answering smile – mischievous and feral, just like before – bloom on her lips. We took off at a run, her a few steps behind, not quite able to match my impressive speed. When we were out of earshot, I slowed, and so did she, eventually coming to a full stop.

She moved to my side and offered her hand, and I took it with a smile, weaving our fingers as she'd done before. She grinned at the contact.

For a few moments, we simply looked at each other, and I wondered how to approach the subject.

She was bolder than I. "So…I could help. If I stayed." She said hesitantly, looking at me with uncertainty in her gaze.

I squeezed her hand. "You would do that? Stay with us?"

She nodded, meeting my gaze with her wide eyes, sincerity written across her delicate features. "I feel very…attached to you." She explained, her skin wrinkling between her eyebrows as she frowned, presumably at a loss of words in trying to explain herself.

I grinned – a wide, exuberant smile – and replied, "I find myself feeling quite attached to you, as well." The teasing tone in my voice brought the smile back to her face, and she let out a small laugh. Her joy warmed me to my core.

She bit her lip again, and an desire rushed through me. "Do you think the others would…mind…if I…stayed?" She asked, the hesitancy back in her tone.

I smiled and gently nuzzled her hair with my nose, breathing in her warm scent. "I think it would make them very happy. Emmett especially. In fact, I'm willing to be he'd be quite reluctant to let you go."

She smiled fondly. "I've missed him," she admitted quietly. "I loved everyone in my family, but he and I were quite close. Losing him was…" she shuddered, and I gently wrapped my arms around her shoulders, resting my cheek against the top of her head.

Her arms immediately encircled my waist and she hugged me tightly. "It must have been devastating," I murmured, holding her close to me. I felt her nod against my chest and sighed. "You have him back, though," I reminded her, determined to be cheerful.

She pulled away and smiled up at me. "I do," she said quietly, some sadness lingering in her gaze. "And we have ages to make up for time lost, I suppose."

I carefully tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, internally delighting when she leaned into my touch. "That you do," I said warmly.

We were quiet for a few more minutes, simply enjoying each other's company, when she spoke up again. "I'm quite interested in your diet." She said quietly.

"Interested?"

She wove our fingers together once more and began to amble – very slowly – around the trees. "As a human, I was very…" she wrinkled her nose adorably "…put off…by blood. Seeing it or smelling it made me queasy. I think because of that, I've developed more self-control than most vampires. That's what Charles thought, anyway. I never really went through the whole," she gestured wildly with her free hand, "crazed newborn thing. Unless I let myself be completely ruled by my instincts, like I do when I hunt, or I'm thirsty, I can more or less handle being around humans."

I looked at her with wide, curious eyes, feeling hope burst through me. If she didn't enjoy killing humans – and it certainly sounded like she didn't – she might not struggle too badly with our unusual diet. "Really?"

She nodded.

I took a deep breath and smelled the air – there were no humans in our area. "Did you want to try now?" I offered, hoping I didn't sound as excited as I felt.

She looked alarmed. "Um…I'd rather not…now." She said apologetically. I looked at her questioningly, and her answering smile was sheepish. "Animals don't smell very good," she admitted. "It would probably be best to wait until I'm relatively thirsty before trying."

I laughed and pressed a kiss to her temple, hearing her breath catch in her throat as I did so. "No problem."

"Edward?" I felt a brief thrill at the sound of my name on her lips.

"Yes?"

She looked up at me with that warm expression of hers, her eyes open and honest, her full pink lips pulling into a smile. "I'd like to try something, if you don't mind."

"I don't mind," it was shocking how much I didn't mind. I'd probably let her try anything she liked.

She stopped walking and closed her eyes, her expression serene and peaceful. Suddenly, images crossed my mind – I was looking at myself from her point of view. I felt her curiosity regarding the family when she'd first met us, how ecstatic she'd been to find her brother and to see him happy, how drawn she was to me…

I was seeing her _thoughts_.

I gasped loudly and pulled away, looking at her with wide eyes. Her eyes opened slowly and she smiled at me.

"How?" I wondered aloud, rendered inarticulate by my shock.

She smiled. "My shield has two layers. There's the protective 'bubble' I can extend to include other people and protect from mental intrusions, and there's the one around my mind. It's more like…an elastic band, sort of. Its default is to protect my mind, regardless of how far out I push the bubble, which is why if you're under the shield, you still can't hear me. It takes effort, but I can stretch the elastic band, loosening it, sort of. When I do that – pull it away from my mind – my thoughts become visible to people like you." She smiled up at me.

"Can you do it again?" I nearly begged.

She chuckled and closed her eyes, focusing. This time there were no images.

 _Hello_.

It was a simple greeting, but it was the first time since I'd met her – nearly six hours ago – that I was hearing her mental voice, and I couldn't help the wide smile that formed on my face.

"Hello," I replied cheerfully.

 _I like your hair_.

I laughed at her choice of conversation. "Thank you," I chuckled, and when I looked down at her she was smiling up at me, her eyes warm and affectionate. The hand that wasn't holding mine reached up and she gently ran her fingers through my dishevelled hair. Once she was satisfied, she withdrew her hand slightly, using instead to cup my cheek and run her thumb over my cheekbone, gazing at me with more fondness than I'd ever seen. Slowly and tentatively, she stood on her tiptoes and lightly pressed her lips to mine.

Her mental presence was gone from mine in an instant, but that was fine because all I could think about was her lips on mine – how soft they were and how she seemed to mold perfectly to me.

Too quickly, it was over, and she pulled away, allowing a few inches of space between our faces and gazing at me with a hesitant expression. Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip again, and the same surge of desire rushed through me. I brought my lips back down to hers, more aggressive this time, and my hands went to her waist, pulling her closer to me. I felt her lips curl into a delicious smile under mine and her arms went around my neck as she pressed herself flush against me, returning my kiss with as much enthusiasm.

I'd kissed women before, of course. It was difficult, at my age, to go through life without the slightest touch. Tanya, in particular, had been…aggressive…but never before had a simple kiss felt like _this_.

I was lucky I didn't need to breathe, otherwise I might have fainted.

When Bella pulled away, her bright red gaze met mine and she smiled shyly, her arms still locked around my neck as much as my hands had locked onto her waist. "Stay with me," I begged shamelessly.

Her answering smile lit up the entire forest. "Forever," she promised quietly.

The walk back to the house was slow. We didn't run this time, opting to amble slowly, our hands joined and swinging between us. I noticed an annoyed frown on her beautiful face and stopped, cupping her cheek and examining her in concern. "What's wrong?"

She pulled away and tugged me back into a slow walk.

"Bella? Tell me what's wrong."

She sighed heavily and looked up at me with a dejected expression. "I bet deer are gross," she muttered.

I blinked a few times in shock. I wasn't sure what I had been expecting, but it certainly wasn't that.

I was more or less certain that the family could hear my laughter all the way back at the house.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Esme gave me a cell phone – B**_

 _ **I've never had a cell phone – B**_

I grinned at the text messages.

Bella's announcement that she would be staying with my family indefinitely had surprised absolutely no one, since Alice had already seen it and excitedly told everyone that I'd finally found a mate. Even Rosalie found it in herself to be pleased for me, which made me grin.

Alice had spent the rest of the afternoon rearranging my room – I was no longer the sole member of the Cullen household without a bed – and rearranging my closet, making room for the inevitable wardrobe she would be purchasing for her new sister. The bed she'd purchased was a king-sized four-poster, with an elegant and ornate wrought iron design that Bella seemed fond of. The duvet was a regal gold that was soft to the touch and seemed to melt into the room easily, not seeming too out of place. There were more pillows than I new what to do with, but Bella seemed to like them, so I said nothing.

Oddly enough, she seemed to like the black leather couch just as much as the bed, so Alice (begrudgingly) let it be.

Bella had spent the remainder of her Sunday perusing my CD collection, running her fingers over the spines of the cases, occasionally pulling one out and looking at it curiously before putting it back in place. When I'd asked her what type of music she preferred, she informed me that she hadn't really kept up with current artists. It was still strange to me that she'd managed to live an almost completely isolated life, but I enjoyed going through my CDs with her after that, listening to those I thought she would like.

We found out that she loved YouTube.

She fawned over Carlisle's vast library and had informed me that she would probably spend much of her time without me buried under a mountain of books.

Esme was spending the day running errands for her. She'd leave the clothes shopping to Alice, of course, but she picked up a variety of other items she thought Bella might need. Everything from Shampoo to a new laptop, though I'd insisted Bella could use mine if she wanted. And now, apparently a cell phone. Bella had wanted to go with her, but since we couldn't be sure it would be safe – she hadn't spent much time in rooms filled with humans, and because the decision wasn't made on her part, Alice couldn't guarantee anyone's safety – we'd opted to let Esme do the shopping, though I could see Bella found it slightly irritating to be so helpless.

 _ **Will I be able to find you under your mountain of books? – E**_

I smiled as I texted her, enjoying being able to communicate with her in some way, even if she couldn't be with us at school.

While Bella's self-control was impressive, none of use were willing to risk exposure or the human teens of Fork High school. Bella had not been pleased at the idea of being left behind, but she'd assured us that she understood it was for the best, and that she would be very displeased with herself if anyone got hurt just because she couldn't stay alone for a few hours. We'd decided that she could try to attend school when her eyes lost all traces of red.

 _ **I'm building a fort of books so I can read in it – B**_

 _ **No boys allowed – B**_

I chuckled at her cheeky response.

 _What's up with Cullen_? Those were Mike Newton's thoughts. _Why does he keep smiling? Usually he's all…moody._

A serious disadvantage to not having Bella nearby was the fact that she couldn't shield me from the thoughts of my classmates, and I sighed, annoyed.

 _Edward is smiling! Oh, he has a nice smile. I bet I could get him to smile like that if he just gave me a chance…_ Ah, that was Jessica. After two years, she was still convinced that she had a chance at dating me. The idea was repulsive, especially now that I had a mate of my own. I skipped out of her mind as quickly as possible when she began to picture scenes in her mind that involved far too much _me_ and far too little clothes, fighting a shiver of disgust.

… _so much work tonight! I wonder if mum will let me out of helping with dinner so I can get these readings done…_ Angela Weber's thoughts were a good place to let my mind rest. She was unfailingly kind, her thoughts never malicious or petty.

 _ **Why can't you just sit in the chair? – E**_

 _ **Because then I wouldn't have a fort – B**_

It amazed me that after being changed at seventeen years old and having been a nomad for the majority of her time as a vampire, Bella had managed to keep an incredible sort of childish innocence about her that made me smile. She was incredibly tactile, wanting to touch and learn, absorbing new information like a sponge.

And, apparently, make forts.

 _ **If you build a fort you'll have to put all the books back later – E**_

 _ **Not like I have much else to do – B**_

I felt sorry for her after reading that message. She was cooped up in the house, probably bored out of her mind.

 _Edward, stop worrying about Bella_ , Alice thought at me, sending me an annoyed look from across the cafeteria table. _She's fine. She can take care of herself_.

I grimaced and sighed, and she rolled her eyes at me.

* * *

In biology, she texted me again.

 _ **Built AND took down fort. Bored. – B**_

I smiled, texting quickly while keeping my phone out of sight so Mr. Banner wouldn't spot me texting.

 _ **Learn to play the piano – E**_

It wasn't entirely a joke – it would certainly give her something to do.

 _ **No. I want YOU to teach me – B**_

That was a strangely enticing thought.

 _ **We could do that – E**_

 _ **Can you teach me how to drive? – B**_

He stared down at the screen for several seconds, trying to comprehend such a ridiculous question. She was seventy-eight years old, for pete's sake!

 _ **You don't know how to DRIVE? – E**_

 _ **I never needed to! – B**_

 _ **Plus I was alone most of the time – B**_

 _ **Plus where would I get a car? – B**_

 _Is Edward on a cell phone?_ I tucked my phone into my pocket at a speed that would be invisible to Mr. Banner as he made his way over to me, triumphant at finally having caught me doing something wrong and intent on making a show of taking away my cell phone. "Mr. Cullen? Your cell phone?" He held out his hand to me, a smirk on his face.

The cocky smile disappeared when I looked up at him in confusion, no phone in sight and pen in hand, taking perfect notes on the mundane topic he was teaching (cells, today). "Cell phone, Mr. Banner?" I asked, the tone of my voice hinting that I had no idea what he was talking about.

His hand dropped. _I could have sworn…_ he nodded stiffly and walked away. I resisted the urge to grin widely, knowing it would only aggravate him further.

 _ **Alice said I should stop texting so I don't get you in trouble – B**_

 _ **I don't want you to stop – E**_

 _ **Good cause I wasn't planning to anyway – B**_

* * *

The rest of the day passed in a similar fashion; Bella would text me about the mundane things she did while cooped up at the house, though the way she went about doing them was often hilariously unusual. I wondered, idly, whether or not being able to read Bella's mind would make her any less surprising to me. I imagined I would still find myself caught off guard by her thoughts – there seemed to be no filter between her mind and her words, much like Emmett. Perhaps it was an inherited trait.

When the car pulled into the driveway, I parked it quickly and stepped out, finding myself with an armful of my mate a millisecond later.

"Jeez, Bells, we were only gone for a few hours," Emmett laughed.

She shot him a glare. "It's really boring when you can't leave the house and you're all by yourself, Emmett," she retorted.

Emmett grinned widely at her, taking Rosalie's hand as they walked into the house, and Bella turned her shining eyes on me. "I missed you," she told me quietly.

"I missed you, too," I told her, pressing a kiss to her forehead and watching the smile bloom on her lips at the contact. From inside the house, I heard Esme's overwhelming happiness at seeing me with my mate after so many years alone, and I felt a moment of fondness for my adoptive mother, who wanted nothing more than to see her children be happy in this life. "Want to take a walk?" I suggested to Bella, who's smile turned into a full-fledged grin. I felt a moment of guilt. It was because of me that she was cooped up in a house all day long rather than living her nomadic lifestyle. She'd stayed for me, and now she was suffering.

"Stop," Bella's quiet voice interrupted my musings, and I looked down to see her looking at up me in concern.

"Stop what?"

She reached up and gently stroked my temple. "I don't need to be a mind reader – or Jasper – to know how to read your face," she murmured, her fingers combing through my hair gently. "I know guilt when I see it, and it's not hard to guess what you feel guilty about." She rose onto her tiptoes and pressed a chaste kiss to my lips before pulling away and meeting my eyes. "I will never regret finding you."

"You're stuck here all day because of me, Bella," I said, my voice not managing to hide the pain as well as would have liked.

She shrugged. "A temporary annoyance," she said easily. The elastic-like shield that protected her own mind stretched slightly, allowing me a few delicious moments of seeing into her mind. There were no words this time; instead, she sent me the depths of her feelings for me. She showed me the warm feeling of love and excitement that bubbled inside of her whenever she saw me and her nearly overwhelming happiness at having found her family. Then, as quickly as it had appeared, her thoughts were gone, shielded from me once more. "If I have stay in your beautiful house that is well-stoked with just about everything that a vampire can do during the day to feel _that_ , then there is no decision to be made," she informed me quietly, continuing the soothing detangling of my hair. "You will always be my choice."

"I love you," I whispered, knowing my face gave away every ounce of adoration I felt for her.

She looked up and met my eyes, her eyes, closer to mahogany than crimson now, shining with affection and happiness and a wide smile on her lips. "I love you, too."

Her words seemed to warm my skin. Every bad thought I'd ever had about myself was gone in an instant - all the rage, all the anger, the bloodlust... - and happiness like I'd never felt before coursed through my system like adrenalin, making me feel distinctly _alive_. I must have done _something_ right, in my human life or my eternal life, to deserve someone like Bella. I'd known I loved her, of course, after our first discussion. Somehow this curious, clever, beautiful woman was for me – _my_ mate – and I would be loathe to let her out of my sight now. But to say the words and _mean_ them in a sense that wasn't a bond of kinship, and to have them said in return with such certainty and feeling was an indescribable sensation. The rest of the world fell away and my entire being centered around this mischievous and playful creature that had eyes only for me. For a brief moment, I wondered if I'd been completely wrong about our souls after all. How else could I be presented with such a blessing? With her, once dreaded immortality was not a lengthy curse but a promise of eternal love – lifetime _s_ to try express to her the strength of my feelings for her.

Unable to help myself, I unabashedly pressed my lips against hers. Unlike the kisses we'd shared until now, this kiss was possessive and heated. All of my senses were flooded with Bella – her sweet scent in my nose, her electrifying touch on my skin, her beautiful self dancing in my mind's eye, the taste of her on my lips, my tongue, and the soft sounds of her desperate whimpers as she pulled me closer, as though she wanted us to share the same space – and my family was forgotten until Emmett shouted, "get a room!" From his bedroom in the house. Reluctantly, I pulled away from her. In the distant caverns of my mind, I knew I should feel guilty – I'd been raised a gentleman, and gentlemen did not engage in such activities with women to whom they were not married, especially in public – but Bella was watching me with a lust-filled expression that nearly had me jumping her for a second time and still holding me flush against her, not an inch of space between us. She moved in for another kiss, but again, Emmett interrupted. _"Edward! That's my baby sister!"_ He roared loudly, spewing all sorts of mental threats in my direction.

Bella, a true McCarty, began to giggle, which turned into a full-blown explosive laughter that had her gasping for air. Just like that, the lust-induced haze dissipated and I could think clearly, though Bella still predominated in my mind.

When she'd caught her breath, I smiled lovingly at her, reaching forward to stroke her cheek and earning a smile in return. "Ready to try hunting, love?" I suggested, my thumb trailing the darkening skin beneath her eyes. She wasn't desperately thirsty, not yet, but it was better to keep her well-fed as she attempted to switch diets. She would be less likely to attack a human if she had some blood in her system, regardless of whether it was animal or human.

She sighed dramatically and grimaced at me, making my smile widen. "I suppose," she ground out, taking my hand. "But I am not drinking squirrel."


	5. Chapter 5

We ran until I was certain that we were far from the town, then slowed. Bella, apparently, had not been paying particularly close attention to me, because she slammed into my back with a deafening crash that echoed off the trees. She'd been moving fast enough that she actually knocked me off balance, sending me hurtling to the ground. I whirled quickly as I fell, my instinct telling me to catch Bella, even though landing on the ground probably would have been softer. My arms wrapped around her waist and I landed hard, knocking the wind out of my lungs.

I caught sight of Bella's bewildered expression and felt laughter begin to bubble in my chest, forcing its way up my throat, and I was unable to hold back the laughter that burst from my lips. Bella looked down at me in surprise, and her lips slowly curled into a wide grin. Soon she was was laughing, too, and we made quite a pair; her lying on top of me in the middle of the forest as we laughed until there was no more air in our lungs.

After a few (very enjoyable) minutes of having her flush against me, she jumped to her feet, offering a hand to pull me up. "Sorry about that," she grinned, sounded thoroughly unapologetic.

I took the offered hand, smiling at her. "No problem," I chuckled. "Sorry for stopping so suddenly.

She shrugged. "I should have been paying attention," she said easily. "What are we hunting?"

Before answering, I stepped forward and pressed my lips to her forehead, pleased with her eagerness to learn my way of life. "Deer. Or elk," I told her, seeing her face pull into a brief grimace. I could certainly understand her reluctance – I remembered the pain of switching back from my diet of human blood, and how unimpressed I was with the _vegetarian_ substitute.

"Let's go, then," Bella sighed, and my face contorted as I fought a grin at her obvious displeasure.

I watched as Bella closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, taking in the scents of her surroundings. A few seconds later, her eyes snapped open and she was gone, chasing after the scent of a nearby buck.

The attack was neat and tidy; she bit down, her razor sharp teeth sliding through the soft flesh like a knife through butter, slicing open the beast's carotid artery and sucking down its contents. I watched with rapt attention – her approach had been vicious rather than stealthy like Alice or Esme, but she didn't tear away at the skin like Jasper or Emmett. Her attack, it seemed, was similar to Rosalie's – terrifyingly fast, but kind, delivering death swiftly so that no pain was felt as she feasted on the creature's blood, and clean; not a single drop of blood was spilled.

Apparently satisfied that the buck had been drained, Bella released him and licked a few drops of red liquid from her lips, looking up at me.

I smiled at her but didn't advance, unsure whether or not she was still in her hunting state of mind, and if she was, not wanting to get too close. Though we tended to be able to think more rationally thanks to our diets, we were still dangerous once we'd given ourselves over to our sense, even to each other. "Well?" I asked her quietly, quirking an eyebrow.

She looked down at the buck and then back up to me, then shrugged. "Not as bad as I thought it would be," she admitted, sounding completely normal. Tentatively I advanced on her, watching her reactions carefully. Seeing no threat on her beautiful expression, I moved forward quicker, hugging her tightly, unable to hold back my excitement. She _could_ do this. She could learn to hunt as we did, she could stay with us, with _me_ , forever.

I was finally getting _my_ forever.

She seemed bemused at my odd reaction, but she hugged me back anyway, perhaps because she enjoyed being close to me, just as I enjoyed being close to her. "Aren't you going to hunt?" She asked me curiously, running her thumb lightly over the pale skin beneath my eyes.

I had hunted recently – only last week, with Jasper – and I knew that my eyes, though perhaps slightly dark, were still a comfortable shade of amber. But I wasn't about to let my mate hunt alone, so I smiled. "A little. I don't need that much. Let's bury that," I gestured to the carcass that remained of her meal, and we made quick work of burying the deceased animal. Once we were done, I turned to her. "Ready for more?" I asked, knowing that gorging too quickly sometimes gave an unpleasant sloshy feeling.

Bella hummed her acknowledgement and stepped away, tasting the air again before giving me a quick smile and shooting off after another scent. I chuckled warmly and took off after her, keeping a safe distance as she single-mindedly tracked her prey.

The doe she found this time was smaller and took significantly less time to drain, but Bella's attack was just as vicious and fast as before. There was something strangely arousing about watching my mate eat her meal, and when I saw her eyes darken slightly when I drank from my own catch, I knew she felt it, too. We once again buried the remains, taking almost no time at all with two of us to do the work. I was about to ask her if she wanted more when a new scent assaulted my nose.

It was a familiar scent, if pungent and unpleasant, and I turned to see glinting yellow eyes glaring at me from through the foliage in the distance. Allowing my mind to take over my body once more, I reached my mind out to the beast, knowing, by instinct as well as by smell, that this was no ordinary beast.

I heard Bella's angry hiss from behind me, and I knew she was reacting naturally to Sam in his wolf form; after all, the wolves were our natural enemies.

 _Red eyes_ , Sam spoke to the other wolves through their shared, hive-like mind. _What's the meaning of this, Cullen?_

 _Red eyes means newborn_ , a voice I didn't know but Sam identified as Jared spat angrily.

 _Newborn?_ Jacob growled, _if there's a newborn, they've broken –_

The thoughts were gone in an instant, as was Sam's dark silhouette.

"Shit," I swore angrily, watching Bella's eyes widen at my unusual cussing. "Are you done?" I asked her shortly.

She blinked in surprise at my abruptness and nodded slowly. "Edward, what's wrong?" She asked worriedly, stepping closer to me carefully, as though she wasn't sure whether or not she should get too close.

"Nothing," I snapped, immediately regretful when I saw hurt and confusion cross her expression. I sighed. I shouldn't take my frustration out on her. "I'm sorry, love," I murmured, offering my hand, and seeing a relieved smile on her lips when she took it, squeezing slightly and looking up at me with concern.

"Tell me what's wrong," she pressed.

"Are you still thirsty?" I asked gently, letting out a breath of relief when she shook her head no, though I could see the truth of her words in her blazing red eyes. "Good," I smiled, knowing I was unable to truly hide the tension from my face. "We need to go see the family."

"Because of the wolf?" She asked quietly. I nodded, and with a final squeeze of her hand, we were running.

There were no twirls or pirouettes this time, no cheeky grins or winks or challenging expressions. Bella had obviously picked up on the tension and was responding in kind.

When we arrived back at the house, Alice was waiting on the porch, her expression unreadable as she shifted her weight between her feet. She visibly sighed in relief when we finally arrived. In her thoughts I saw her panic when we'd disappeared from her visions, our futures blurred by our proximity with Sam. "Where were you?" She asked, running a few steps to meet us. "You were gone. Gone!"

"We need to talk to everyone, Alice," I said shortly, not bothering to answer her question.

The family had already gathered in the house, having heard my quick comment to Alice, and they waited anxiously for whatever was happening. Jasper, who could feel the tension between the two of us, was obviously uncomfortable, and Alice was at his side in an instant, taking his hand to offer what comfort she could. Rosalie and Emmett were sitting on one of the couches, watching us with matching expressions of concern. Esme and Carlisle stood near them, their faces calm as worry rolled off them in waves, adding to Jasper's unease.

"What's wrong, Edward?" Carlisle said immediately, frowning worriedly at us. I could hear Jasper, Carlisle and Esme worrying that something had happened between Bella and I.

"We ran into a problem," I said quickly, my shoulders stiff. Bella's hand slipped into my, offering comfort as best she could as she looked up at me with bright eyes, obviously still concerned and unsure about what was happening.

"You didn't come across any humans, did you?" Esme asked worriedly, looking down at Bella in concern, who was still looking at up me. _We all slip up, but it would certainly be easier on Bella if they hunt far enough away..._

"No, it wasn't that," I rushed to reassure, hearing the almost palpable relief from the rest of the family. "We came across Sam."

"Sam Uley?" Carlisle frowned.

"The very same. He saw Bella," I looked down at my mate, who was still watching me with an unsure expression. I wondered if she recognized the scent of the wolf that had been present when we'd fought the newborns. It was entirely possible that she'd disregarded altogether, like the Guard had, but seeing as she'd mentioned the wolves after the fight, it was likely that she'd correctly identified their burning odour.

"What does Bella have to do with anything?" Jasper asked, confused and voicing the thoughts that Bella was probably wondering herself.

I sighed. "They saw her eyes," I explained, "and they assumed she was a newborn."

"So?" Bella pressed, though I could hear dreaded realization from Carlisle and Esme.

"They think we broke the treaty," I said quietly, regret in my town as I met my concern mate's gaze. "And they're planning to attack."

Bella's grip tightened on my hands and her eyebrows rose in shock. "Treaty?" She repeated, and I could hear the worry in each of my family member's thoughts except for Emmett, who simply felt excited at the prospect of a fight.

I sighed. "There are...rules...that we have, a sort of pact with the wolves, so that we can coexist," I explained to her quickly. "One of those rules is that no humans are attacked or changed."

"Why didn't you clarify?" Esme asked, her tone soft and and concerned.

I shook my head. "He ran off before I had a chance to explain," I said bitterly.

"I don't mean to cause trouble," Bella said worriedly from my side, and I felt a rush of anger for the wolves that were making my Bella feel like a problem.

I squeezed her hand reassuringly. "You're not, love. We'll find a way to deal with this. We can talk to them."

"How do you suggest we do that?" Jasper asked drily.

I thought about that for a moment before suggesting, "call one of the elders. Billy Black, maybe? He can relay the message to Sam."

"Why can't you just go talk to them?" Bella asked, looking at us questioningly.

I shook my head. "We can't cross into Quileute territory. We made the treaty with their ancestors about seventy years ago; there can be peace between us so long as neither party attacks a human, and we can't enter the reservation."

I watched confusion play out on Bella's face between realization dawned, and I felt a rush of pride for her quick thinking. "They think one of you changed me? That's why they're angry?" She asked, though there was a certainty in her voice. There was very little doubt on her part that that was what was happening.

"That's right, Bella," Carlisle answered, and her red eyes shot to him. Her gaze was slightly unnerving, though she didn't mean it to be, and I could feel Carlisle's mild discomfort as well as his guilt – he didn't _want_ to be uncomfortable around Bella, but he couldn't help his natural responses. In any case, he hid it well.

"But you can stop them," Bella pressed, looking between the two of us. "You can make them listen to the truth."

Carlisle sighed. "We can try," he admitted, "but there's no guarantee that they'll listen. They're not our biggest fans."

Bella frowned, looking up at me with a confused expression and then looking to Jasper, who was watching her closely, keeping tabs on her emotions. Through him, I could feel her guilt – no matter what I said, she would never _not_ feel guilty; she felt as if she had brought this trouble down upon us – and her confusion at the situation. "I don't understand," she said honestly, though I could hear the frustration in her voice. "I thought you were on good terms with them. You fought an army of newborns with them!"

"That was simply them jumping at the chance to do what they were made to do, Bella," Jasper explained. "They exist to kill vampires. They can't kill us, not with the treaty, so they did the next best thing. If they think we've broken the treaty, they won't think twice about attacking. I've no doubt that they'd like nothing more than to attack us, actually."

Bella wrinkled her nose. "Okay…and Alice, you can't see what'll happen?"

Alice sighed dramatically from her position tucked into Jasper's side. "I can't see the wolves," she explained with a grimace.

"That's impractical," Bella muttered, and my lips turned upwards into an involuntary smile, which I hid in her hair.

"Yes, it is," I answered for Alice, whose thoughts were torn between irritation about being blind and pleasure with my obvious love.


	6. Chapter 6

Carlisle pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed the number for the Black house.

" _Hello?"_ We all heard Billy's gruff answer.

"Billy. It's Carlisle Cullen. We need to talk." Carlisle said politely, though his tone didn't invite any argument.

"I don't think we have anything to talk about, Carlisle," Billy growled. I could hear the anger in his tone, and I wondered if Billy was ever angry that the wolf gene seemed to have skipped his generation, rendering him unable to defend the reservation against the perceived threat. I imagined he would be bitterly resentful – I knew I certainly would be if my family was threatened and I was unable to do anything but sit and wait. At the very least his elder status gave him some semblance of power over the young wolves, but when it came down to it, Sam Uley ran the show, not the elders.

"On the contrary, I think we have quite a lot to talk about," Carlisle replied. "Starting with the fact that your sons seem to think my family has broken the treaty."

" _We aren't stupid, Cullen,"_ Billy replied drily. _"The treaty stands as long as no humans are harmed. We know what a new vampire looks like – we know that a new vampire has red eyes from the lingering blood in their system, and the wolves cannot lie to each other. Sam and Jacob know what they saw, and they saw an unfamiliar vampire with red eyes. The treaty has been broken."_

Carlisle let out a deep breath. "You are quick to accuse." He said quietly. "The vampire in question fought on our side against the newborns, just as the wolves did. She means no harm to any humans, and she certainly isn't a newborn."

Billy snorted. _"Really?"_ the disbelief was evident in his tone.

Carlisle nodded, though Billy couldn't see the action through the phone. "All that we ask is that the wolves allow us to meet with them, to explain."

" _You want us to meet with the newborn?"_ Billy asked scornfully.

"I'm not a newborn!" Bella snapped, obviously irritated at being discussed and upset over causing trouble with the wolves.

There was a long pause on the other end before Billy spoke again. _"Was that it? The one with the red eyes?"_

Bella's lips pulled into a slight snarl at being referred as an _it_ , and I felt anger bubble in my own chest – Bella was most definitely a _she_ , and I would not have her referred to as a thing.

Luckily, Carlisle was more diplomatic than both of us. "Yes, that was Bella. She doesn't mean anyone any harm, Billy."

" _But she's staying."_ There seemed to be no doubt in Billy's voice, only annoyed resignation.

"Yes." Carlisle said with finality, looking Bella in the eye, who lifted her show in an display of stubbornness, her bright crimson eyes glittering.

I heard Billy sigh on the other end. _"I'll speak to Sam. But I can't make any promises."_

"Thank you, Billy." Carlisle said, though his voice was still carefully measured and purposefully polite. "We have not broken the treaty. If the wolves attack, they are the ones at fault."

" _They're just doing their jobs,"_ Billy growled. _"Defending their people."_

"We're talking about starting a war, Billy," Carlisle reminded him tensely. "This is not some disagreement between children, and it's not just the lives of vampires and wolves at risk."

" _Is that a threat, Cullen?"_

Carlisle sighed. "Don't be a fool, Billy. It's a simple fact."

Billy hung up the phone without saying goodbye, and Carlisle hung up his cell phone with a sigh, tucking it back into his pocket. "Hopefully Billy will get through to the wolves." He murmured. "We can only hope the wolves will be rational about this."

Rosalie snorted. "When have the wolves ever been rational about anything?" She asked drily, and in her mind I could see the wolves as we knew them – unpredictable and short-tempered, always on the edge of phasing – and I had to admit that I agreed with her. The wolves lived to kill vampires and protect not just the reservation, but also the people of Forks, and the chances that they would chose to talk with us rather than fight us were not in our favour.

"If you ask me, we should teach those wolves who they're dealing with," Emmett added with a wide grin, cracking his knuckles ostentatiously.

Jasper's eyes flashed up to Emmett. "I'm not putting Alice at risk unnecessarily," he said, his voice low and threatening. Emmett's eyebrows rose at the implied threat and Alice laid a hand on her mate's shoulder, reassuring him quietly.

"We will not hope for a fight," Carlisle said with certainty, effectively ending the argument, though not stopping the gruesome fight that was taking place in Emmett's mind. I couldn't hide my discomfort as I watched each of us fighting in his mind, though he mostly lingered on the sensation he would feel rather than how the rest of us would look. In that respect, at least, I was saved from watching my Bella fighting the gigantic dogs of Emmett's imagination.

"So what do we do now?" Bella asked, looking up at me. I pulled her into my side and pressed a kiss to her temple as she wrapped her arms around my middle, resting her head on my chest. I gently ran my fingers through her mahogany locks.

"We wait," Alice supplied, looking the family with an un-Alice-like, blank look on her face. I could tell she was more irritated with the situation that she was letting on, blinded by the involvement of the wolves. She couldn't even see if they would be willing to negotiate rather than fight, since she couldn't see any of their decisions.

Bella frowned. "We just sit and wait?" She asked, looking at each of my family members without loosening her arms from my waist. "Should we, I don't know, practice or something?"

"We've trained for battle as best we could," Esme told her, "when we were threatened by the newborns."

Bella looked at her curiously. "Maybe, but fighting newborns and fighting wolves isn't exactly the same thing." She reminded us, looking curiously at Jasper, probably assuming that he was the most experienced fighter based on his plenitude of scars. "Is there anything we can do to be ready?"

"We've never actually fought the wolves," Carlisle told her, a somewhat apologetic tone in his voice. "Even the first ones we met – the ancestors; Ephraim Black, Quil Ateara, and Levi Uley – we made a treaty with them before any blood was drawn. We have no idea how they fought."

"Even if we did, the chances that this new pack would fight exactly the way their ancestors did is unlikely," Jasper added sagely. "They're still their own people; their fighting style could be completely different." _Edward, I'm getting strong discomfort and frustration from Bella_ , he informed me silently.

Bella let out a frustrated huff and ran her hands through her long hair, tugging on the ends of the strands. "I'm unused to preparing for battle with so little knowledge of our enemies," she admitted quietly, and I suddenly understood her discomfort. The Volturi guard learned all they could about their targets before striking – they knew which were gifted, humans that had potential to be talented vampires, which vampires would be loyal to the guard, which would be easy targets. As an operative of the Guard, especially one that had been close to Aro, Bella would have been well informed about her targets.

"The Volturi have fought wolves," I pointed out quietly, raising my eyebrows at Bella in silent question.

She shook her head. "The Children of the Moon were exterminated before I joined the Guard," she told me simply, shrugging her shoulders. "I never fought them."

I was oddly comforted by the idea that Bella had never fought actual werewolves. Where several shape-shifters, like the Quileute wolves, could take down a vampire when they worked as a pack, Children of the Moon were on equal grounds with a lone vampire, and our most powerful weapon – our painful, paralyzing venom – was rendered completely useless by their vampire-resistant biology. They completely lacked humanity and basic reasoning, operating completely based on their feral senses. They were truly dangerous.

"So what are we going to do? Just sit and wait?" Rosalie pushed, standing from her position on the couch to pace in the living room, something distinctly predatory about the way she moved back and forth.

Emmett stood and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, stopping her. His usual jovial smile was replaced with a concerned frown and he looked to Carlisle. "We're sitting ducks in the house." He stated obviously. "We should run the perimeter of the border, make sure the wolves are sticking to their side until we've talked about this."

"Is that really wise?" Jasper interjected. "If we split up, we're easy targets."

"We're easy targets now!" Emmett boomed.

Jasper shrugged. "But we're together. Eight of us versus ten wolves? We could take them easily, especially with Bella's training."

All eyes turned to Bella, who's gaze darted impossibly quickly between all of us. "I don't know what good you expect me to do," she said quietly. "I'll fight for us, obviously, but I'm practiced against vampires. Not even my shield will do us any good. If anything, it would hinder Edward to be blocked from the rest of you and the wolves. I agree that we have the advantage, but not a particularly strong one." She heaved a sigh. "If it comes to a fight, I think we should be prepared for casualties."

* * *

"Bella," Alice sang. "We're going shopping on Saturday!"

Bella looked up at her in disbelief from her position on the couch, tucked into my side, her legs resting over my thighs and her head on my shoulder. "Seriously?"

"Yep," Alice chirped happily. I could feel my family's shock at Alice's behaviour.

"Alice, is this really the time?" Esme asked quietly from the recliner, where she'd been sitting tensely, Carlisle standing behind her, his hands massaging her shoulders gently. While she appreciated her daughter's attempts to lighten the house's tense atmosphere, she didn't want any of her children straying too far.

"It's a great time," Alice insisted. "Bella needs a new wardrobe. I bought some things for her last weekend, but I _know_ her a lot better now, and I can find things she'll like better."

Bella snorted. "As if you would ever buy things I'd want to wear."

Alice threw up her hands. "Bella, you can't just jeans and graphic t-shirts."

Bella resettled against my side, and I tightened my grip on her waist, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as she grumbled, "I like jeans and graphic t-shirts."

"And have you ever worn anything other than your leather jacket?" Alice continued, unbothered by Bella's faint arguments.

"I _like_ my leather jacket," Bella muttered again, sending a mutinous glare towards Alice.

"I do, too," I whispered in her ear, earning a smirk and a wink from her and a betrayed look from Alice.

"Regardless," Alice pressed. "You're a Cullen now, Bella. I won't have you wearing the same thing every day."

"I'll change my t-shirt."

" _Bella!"_

"Alice, I don't even go to school!" Bella whined. "No one sees me! Why does it matter what I wear?"

She had a good point, and Alice knew it. Her lips pulled into a pout. " _Bella_ , you may as well get used to it now, because I'm not going to let up." She continued to push in her typical way, determined to get what she wanted. I'd never seen Alice relent quickly.

"She really isn't," Carlisle sighed. "She's gotten to all of us, she'll get to you, too, Bella." He pointed out wisely, and his mind was tinged with amusement under the thick cloud of worry.

Bella's lips pursed into a pout and she said nothing, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning against me, clearly unhappy. "You don't have to wear anything you don't want to, Bella," I whispered conspiratorially, pressing my lips against her hair and keeping my arms wrapped tightly around her waist, unable to let her go. "I'll take you shopping for cotton t-shirts and jeans when she's at school."

Bella tilted her head and grinned up at me, gratefulness and amusement in her crimson eyes. I gently ran my thumb over her cheekbone and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, feeling her smile under the intimate contact.

"You'll do no such thing!" Alice snapped, hands on her hips as she glared at me. _I'll see that coming, Edward, you know I will._

"Alice, not everyone has to wear designer clothes all the time," I reminded her. "Some people prefer comfort over beauty," I glanced down at my mate, who was still smiling up at me with love written all over her face. "Bella doesn't need those kinds of clothes to be beautiful, anyway."

Alice glared at me. "I _know_ that, Edward. The clothes just _enhance_ the beauty." _Stop ruining my fun, Edward! Bella will like the clothes!_

The phone rang shrilly then, and eight pairs of eyes snapped to the offending device. At vampire speed, Carlisle answered. "Hello?"

"Cullen," that wasn't Billy's voice, but Sam Uley's. "Billy insists we need to meet." The man didn't sound even the slightest bit pleased about that.


End file.
